Congress, PM committed to passage of Lokpal: Rashid Alvi

Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Tuesday said the ruling party at the Centre and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh are committed to the passage of the Lokpal Bill.

"The Congress Party and the Prime Minister are committed to the Lokpal bill. It has been passed in the Lok Sabha and we will try to pass it as soon as possible in the Rajya Sabha," said Alvi, who is also the spokesperson of the Congress Party.

The Lokpal Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in 2011, but it faced hurdles in the Rajya Sabha due to strong opposition from political parties, including some of the UPA constituents, on some measures.

The proposed bill envisages the setting up of a national anti-corruption watchdog to check financial mismanagement and corrupt practices that have deeply pervaded several democratic and civic institutions of India. (ANI)